California Voters: Here’s Your Redwoods Voter Guide for Nov. 6

In the San Francisco Bay Area:

East Bay

Vote YES on Measure FF, Protect Our East Bay Parks

Without raising tax rates, Measure FF extends an existing, voter approved funding source for the East Bay Regional Park District. If Measure FF passes with the required two-thirds majority, the existing only $1 per month parcel tax for single family homes ($.69 per month for multi-family units) will remain in place, helping us to steward and protect the 121,397 acres, 73 parks, and over 1,250 miles of trails managed by the District.

If approved, Measure FF will provide funding for regional park services including wildfire protection, public safety, public access, trails, visitor use facilities, and the restoration of natural habitat, urban creeks, and shorelines. Measure FF would provide funding for 50 new projects that will help the District fight climate change and welcome an increasing number of visitors.

Funding from Measure FF would support projects that the League is working on in partnership with the District including:

Development of a Redwood Forest Management Plan, which provides a science-based framework to help improve redwood forest health and increase fire and climate resilience

Increased and improved interpretation of redwood natural history and environmental education opportunities

Creek restoration and erosion control projects to improve visitor safety and watershed health

Vote Yes on Measure FF if you are registered to vote in Alameda or Contra Costa Counties. Learn more about Measure FF(external link) and what you can do to help protect our East Bay Parks.

North Bay

Vote YES on Measure M, Sonoma County Parks for All

Parks in Sonoma County are welcoming an increasing number of people — in the past five years, the number of visitors to these parks has increased by 45 percent! Yet, Sonoma County Regional Parks do not have a stable funding source to maintain and operate the incredible open space and recreational resources loved by so many.

If passed by the necessary two-thirds majority, Measure M would create a county-wide ⅛ cent sales tax that would provide $11.5 million annually for the parks. Measure M supports fire recovery projects, increased public access, natural resource restoration, and improved infrastructure, trails, and visitor facilities. If Measure M passes, up to $42 million in Prop 68 local funds would be made accessible for park projects in the county.

Vote Yes on Measure M if you are registered to vote in Sonoma County. Learn more about Measure M(external link), its expenditure plan, and what you can do to support Sonoma County parks.

Statewide:

Vote YES on Prop 3, The Water Supply and Water Quality Act of 2018

The California Water Bond is a $8.9 billion citizens initiative water bond, which will invest in the state’s water infrastructure, funding projects to ensure safe drinking water, Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGMA) implementation, infrastructure repair, watershed restoration, and wildlife habitat protection.

The Water Bond includes nearly $4 billion in funding for environmental protection and restoration, including specific support for redwood preservation and restoration in both the coast redwood and giant sequoia ecosystems.

Vote NO on Prop 6, Senate Bill 1 Gas Tax Repeal

What does the gas tax have to do with conservation or redwoods? As it turns out, plenty. In 2017, Governor Brown signed SB 1, the Transportation Funding Act, into law, which increased prices at the pump by 12 cents per gallon and vehicle registration fees, based on the value of your car.

This generates an additional $5.6 billion annually for transportation projects, including road and bridge repairs. More than $1 billion of SB 1 funding goes to public transit and non-motorized transportation projects, which help California reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change. Prop 6 would repeal SB 1, halting more than 6,500 projects across the California that are already underway using SB 1 dollars.

Moreover, if Prop 6 passes, it would eliminate a critical funding source for California State Parks. Plans are underway for State Parks to create 16 new jobs on the North Coast. These new positions would work closely with Save the Redwoods League to advance Redwoods Rising, among many other partnership projects to improve access, visitor amenities, and natural resources in our redwood parks. Prop 6 would cancel the funding for these positions and undermine dozens of park support projects we are working on together throughout the redwood range.

Vote No on Prop 6. Learn more about Prop 6(external link) and why the League strongly urges a No vote on this proposition.

The deadline to register to vote in the November 6 general election is October 22. Make sure you’re registered or double-check your voter registration status on Vote.org(external link). Early voting is already underway. You can request an absentee ballot before October 30 or find out where you can vote early(external link) in person.

About Shelana deSilva

Shelana recently joined Save the Redwoods League as the Director of Government Affairs and Public Funding. She has a strong track record helping national and statewide nonprofits develop partnerships, lead campaigns and initiatives, and secure public funding to achieve their missions.

Every second Saturday of each month in 2018, Save the Redwoods League and California State Parks will be hosting a Free Redwoods Day. Parking passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis each month, ahead of the next event. Our next event is on November 10 — download your free pass now!

We want to make sure we give everyone a chance to be part of our first-ever crowdfunding effort, so we’ve extended our deadline to October 31! We’ve also replenished the supply of our most popular Centennial thank-you gifts.

Philip Cannon

Save the Redwoods League

Alison Sheehey

Sadly, the environment will suffer as 90% of Prop 3 money goes to industrial agriculture. The 10% of environmental good does not benefit nature in the long run. Throw the bad out and rewrite for the good. Restoration of habitats destroyed by agriculture is not restoration, it is corruption at its worst.

Save the Redwoods League

Thank you Alison for sharing your perspective! Save the Redwoods League is committed to advancing restoration and acquisition projects based on sound science and strong partnerships using Prop 3 funds, if it passes. We understand the broader statewide concerns you raise, and will continue to work with partners and lawmakers to improve upon existing funding sources and develop new ones.

Dana L. Stewart

Thank you so much for your work! I wish I had the $$$ to send, but support you with petitions and social media. Bless you. Our natural resources are under severe attacks by the Republicans, bought off by corporate donors, and we small folk just can’t compete on that level. Again much gratitude to you all for your good work.